Audiobooks by Matthew Lewis

Tales of Terror: A BBC Radio Gothic Drama Collection: The Castle of Otranto, The Monk, The Mysteries

"Four full-cast dramatisations of classic Gothic novels, plus documentaries exploring the genre’s rise and enduring appeal Dark deeds, dastardly villains, innocent victims and supernatural happenings – these are the terrifying tropes that make up Gothic fiction, a genre that has captured our imagination for over 250 years. Blending both classic and modern dramatisations, this specially curated anthology couples thrilling masterpieces with insightful documentaries… We begin with A Gothic Quest, in which Louise Welsh examines what ‘gothic’ really means, and takes a look at its many appearances in poetry, fiction, art, architecture and film. In A Guided Tour of the Castle of Otranto, Rory McGrath explores the origins of gothic horror, first manifested in Horace Walpole’s 1764 novel. It is followed by a dramatisation of The Castle of Otranto itself, a dark supernatural tale of duplicity and dynastic rivalry. Treading warily into the book’s strange world in Kaleidoscope Feature: A Little Gothic Castle, Peggy Reynolds draws parallels between Walpole’s vision for his London villa, Strawberry Hill, and the haunted mansion in the novel. Next, we unveil the male gothic in a gripping drama featuring disguise, abduction, incest and murder. The Monk, based on the 1796 classic by Matthew Lewis, tells the story of Ambrosio (Michael Pennington), who is tempted into breaking his vows of chastity by a beautiful young nun. The dawn of the female gothic is revealed in The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe, centred on a powerless young heroine trapped in an isolated castle and pitted against an evil Italian Count. Showcasing the Gothic satire is Jane Austen’s 1817 novel Northanger Abbey, poking fun at the popular sensation fiction of her day. In this witty drama, Catherine Morland is taken to Bath for the season, and finds that in her fertile imagination, danger and hair-raising horrors lurk around every corner. Georgia Groome, Miriam Margolyes and Bridgerton’s Luke Thompson star in this full-cast dramatisation. Wrapping up our collection is In Our Time: Gothic, which sees Melvyn Bragg and guest experts considering the origins and significance of the 18th century Gothic movement. First published 1764 (The Castle of Otranto), 1794 (The Mysteries of Udolpho), 1796 (The Monk), 1817 (Northanger Abbey) Content List Part 1. Gothic Imagination A Gothic Quest Presented by Louise Welsh Part 2. The First Gothic Novel: The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole A Guided Tour of the Castle of Otranto Presented by Rory McGrath The Castle of Otranto cast and credits to be announced Kaleidoscope Feature: A Little Gothic Castle Presented by Peggy Reynolds Part 3. Unveiling A Male Gothic: The Monk by Matthew Lewis The Monk Starring Michael Pennington, Sorcha Cusack, Emily Morgan, Christopher Douglas, Brian Smith, Jenny Funnell, Tessa Worsley, Mary Wimbush, Simon Hewitt, Anne Jameson, Alan Thompson, Melinda Walker, Mia Soteriou, Allan McClelland, Garard Green, Graham Blockey, Peter Acre, David Learner and Bernard Brown Part 4. The Dawn of a Female Gothic: The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe The Mysteries of Udolpho Starring Georgia Groome, Tracy Wiles, John Dougall, Finlay Robertson, Luke Thompson, Natasha Cowley, Stephen Wight, John Bowler, Karen Bartke and Alison Belbin Part 5. Gothic Satire: Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen Northanger Abbey Starring Georgia Groome, Luke Thompson, Tracy Wiles, Kim Wall, Ainsley Howard, Alison Belbin, John Bowler, Karen Bartke, Miriam Margolyes, Stephen Wight, Finlay Robertson, Natasha Cowley, John Dougall, Nick Murchie, Keziah Joseph and Luke MacGregor Part 6. Gothic Legacies In Our Time: Gothic Presented by Melvyn Bragg With Chris Baldick, A N Wilson and Emma Clery © 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd"

Ann Radcliffe, Horace Walpole, Jane Austen, Matthew Lewis (Author), Full cast, Garard Green, Georgia Groome, John Bowler, Karen Bartke, Louise Welsh, Luke Thompson, Melvyn Bragg, Miriam Margolyes, Rory McGrath, Tracy Wiles (Narrator)

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The Monk

"'The Monk' follows the story of Ambrosio, a pious and virtuous monk, who succumbs to the temptations of the devil. The novel explores themes of morality, religious corruption, and the consequences of unchecked desires. It is filled with elements of horror, supernatural occurrences, and moral ambiguity."

Matthew Lewis (Author), Jason Smith (male Synthesized Voice) (Narrator)

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The Monk: Penguin Classics

"Brought to you by Penguin. Ambrosio, the worthy superior of the Capuchins of Madrid, falls to the temptations of Matilda, a fiend-inspired wanton who, disguised as a boy, has entered his monastery as a novice. Ambrosio then falls in love with one of his penitents and finally kills her in order to escape detection. However, he is discovered, tortured by the Inquisition and sentenced to death. Although extravagant in its mixture of the supernatural, the terrible, and the indecent, the book contains scenes of great effect. The novel is a prime example of 18th century Gothic, written partly in response to Walpole and Radcliffe and enjoyed a considerable contemporary vogue."

Matthew Lewis (Author), Harry Hadden-Paton (Narrator)

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The Monk

"A masterpiece of gothic fiction, The Monk is a cautionary tale of madness, horror, lust and despair. Father Ambrosio, the most pious and venerated monk in all of Madrid, is held as a paragon of virtue. But after thirty years of study and prayer, evil thoughts begin to permeate his mind. As two plots cleverly converge, torture, murder, incest, rape, poison and magic prevail, sustained by an elegance in the writing of the nineteen-year-old Matthew Lewis. The book was banned upon its initial publication in 1796, but later caught the attention of Lord Byron and Samuel Taylor Coleridge, with Coleridge naming it 'the offspring of no common genius'."

Matthew Lewis (Author), Georgina Sutton, Nicholas Boulton (Narrator)

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The Monk: A Romance

"Matthew Gregory Lewis's The Monk: A Romance is a story of frustrated and unrequited desire between mentor and pupil mixed with elements of the supernatural. It includes several subplots: rape, torture and incest. It is the old story of the forces of good versus the forces of evil, except that in this one evil comes out ahead. When The Monk was first published in 1795, it was received well by readers and reviewers causing a second edition to be printed the following year. But by the third year, there began a growing criticism of the book and of Lewis mostly on the basis of immorality. In fact, the book caused such a scandal that Lewis published another version complete with redactions and entire rewrites so as to remove the shame it had brought upon his family and the political institution of which he was a part. The Monk finds itself straddling the genres of Gothicism and Decadence, and includes elements of Romanticism. Lewis also chose to blend the roles of gender in this work--particularly in the character of Rosario/Matilda. The sexual tension between Ambrosio and this character--along with the eventual revelation of true identity--are an exposé on the topic of same-sex love and makes this work an early contribution to LGBT literature. In spite of the mountains of criticism against the book, it remained a best seller well into the 19th century. The version I will read for you is the unexpurgated version including all of the "scandal and immorality" of the original. (Introduction by James K. White)"

Matthew Lewis (Author), James K. White (Narrator)

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Last Man Off

"Antarctica, June 6th 1998. 23-year-old Matt Lewis has just started his dream job: an observer aboard a deep sea fishing boat. As the crew haul in their lines for the day, the waves seem bigger than usual - they are casting shadows on the deck. A storm is brewing. What follows is an astonishing story of courage and tragedy. Lewis leads the escape onto three life rafts, where the battle for survival begins."

Matthew Lewis (Author), Malcolm Hamilton (Narrator)

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The Monk

"The Monk is a violent tale of ambition, murder, and incest. The great struggle between maintaining monastic vows and fulfilling personal ambitions leads the monk Ambrosio, into temptation and the breaking of his vows, then to sexual obsession and rape, and finally to murder in order to conceal his guilt. Written when Matthew Lewis was only 19, The Monk was criticised when first published in 1796 for its lewdness and impiety, but this criticism only added to its popularity"

Matthew Lewis (Author), Nigel Carrington (Narrator)

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